Retractable headrest

ABSTRACT

A retractable headrest is movable between an extended position for protecting a passenger and a retracted position for improving rearward visibility. In a first embodiment, the headrest is positioned below a stretchable fabric panel which allows a headrest shell to be raised into the extended position by stretching the panel. A second embodiment incorporates an extending cushion that can be moved between the extended and retracted positions by an extending arm. A third embodiment incorporates a support frame that can be folded or bowed by a drive mechanism to move between the retracted and extended positions. A fourth embodiment is a hybrid between the second and third embodiments.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/336,723filed Feb. 14, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,337, the entire contents ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a headrest for a seat, and moreparticularly, to a retractable headrest for a rear automotive seat.

As is well known, automotive headrests (also known as head restraints)are extremely valuable in protecting passengers from injury in acollision, or even a sudden stop, by limiting the rearward travel of thepassenger's head with respect to the passenger's neck and torso.Therefore, the vast majority of automobiles sold today have headrestsinstalled on both the front and the rear seats for passenger protection.Headrests installed on the front seats are positioned directly behindthe driver's and front passenger's heads and do not significantly impairthe rearward vision of the driver, either by the driver's use of therearview mirror or by the driver turning his or her head. When rearpassengers are present, they can impair the rearward vision of thedriver. However, since the rear seat headrests are positioned behind therear passengers, the rear seat headrests generally do not significantlyadd to the rearward vision impairment when rear passengers are present.

On the other hand, when rear passengers are not present, fixed uprightrear seat headrests continue to impair the driver's rearward vision.Therefore, it is desirable to provide rear seat headrests in anautomobile that can be moved out of the driver's rearward view when rearpassengers are not present, but which can be moved into a protectingposition when rear passengers are present. There have been priorattempts to address this problem. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No.3,586,366 to Patrick, a headrest pad is maintained at an adjusted heightin a low-profile prone position until inertia from a collision or suddenstop pivots an upper portion of the pad into an upright position forprotecting the passenger. The Patrick design can never be completelyretracted out of the driver's view.

Others have proposed headrests, generally for the rear seats, where theheadrest lies in a retracted position in an indented or sunken portionof the rear deck when not needed, but which can be pivoted out of thesunken portion into an upright position to protect a passenger. See, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,180 to Klaus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,403 toDieckmann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,166 to Andres and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,456to Barros. While these headrest designs do retract out of the driver'svision when not in use, they are not particularly attractive oraesthetic in the retracted position and do not provide an integrated orhidden appearance in the retracted position. Similarly, other headrestdesigns are known which rotate from the ceiling or from the side into anextended position and can be at least partially retracted when not inuse. These designs cannot fully retract out of the driver's rear vision.

Another proposal has been for a fixed construction combinationheadrest/roll bar that is maintained in a generally upright orientationbut which can be retracted into a stowage cavity positioned behind theseat when not in use and extended upward out of the stowage cavity by adrive mechanism such as a motor driven rack and pinion when passengerprotection is required. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,816 to Lutze. Thisheadrest/roll bar is quite large and relatively complex. Still othershave proposed use of inflatable headrests that are maintained in alow-profile deflated position when not required but which can beinflated into an upright position when passenger protection is required.See U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,104 to Andres and U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,388 toNemoto. Neither of these designs truly provides an aesthetic hiddenappearance in the retracted position.

Generally, these designs move into the extended position either upon theoccurrence of an impact to the vehicle or by requiring a vehiclepassenger to perform some manual operation to either manually move theheadrest into position or to trigger a drive system to move the headrestinto position.

A retractable headrest is desired that overcomes the shortcomings of theprior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a retractable headrest that is extendable toprotect a passenger and retractable to improve rearward visibility forthe driver. The headrest is incorporated into the surrounding panels andupholstery to provide a clean attractive appearance, complementary tothe surrounding décor, when in the retracted position.

In a first embodiment, the retractable headrest includes a stretchablefabric panel attached to one of a top portion of a seat and a parcelshelf; a headrest shell positioned below the stretchable fabric panel;and an operating mechanism attached to the headrest shell constructedand arranged to raise and lower the headrest shell between a retractedposition and an extended position. The headrest shell is constructed andarranged to contact the stretchable fabric panel as it is raised suchthat the stretchable fabric panel is formed into a shape of the headrestshell when the headrest shell is in the extended position to act as apassenger headrest. The stretchable fabric panel is constructed andarranged to return to its original shape when the headrest shell ismoved to the retracted position.

In a second embodiment, the retractable headrest includes a flexibleextending cushion having a proximal portion attached to a seat and afree distal portion; the free portion of the extending cushion beingmovable between a lower retracted position and a higher extendedposition; and an extending arm that includes an adjustable heightportion that can be raised and lowered. The free portion of theextending cushion is positioned over and engages an upper portion of theextending arm such that raising the adjustable height portion of theextending arm raises the free portion of the extending cushion andlowering the extending arm allows the extending cushion to lower withthe extending cushion providing a passenger headrest in the extendedposition.

In a third embodiment, the retractable headrest includes a headrestframe assembly, the frame assembly including a forward portion pivotallymounted about a fixed pivot and a cushioned portion, the first headrestframe pivotally movable from a lowered retracted position to a raisedextended position; a channel positioned on a parcel shelf of thevehicle, the channel shaped complementary to the headrest frame assemblyto receive the headrest frame assembly in a complementary manner whenthe headrest frame assembly is in the retracted position; and anoperating mechanism attached to the headrest frame assembly for raisingand lowering the headrest frame assembly.

A fourth embodiment is a hybrid between the second and third embodimentswhere a flexible extending cushion is raised and lowered by a pivotallymounted forward portion of a frame assembly.

It is a specific object of the present invention to provide aretractable headrest that can be retracted when not in use so as not toimpair the driver's vision.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retractableheadrest that has an aesthetic appearance integrated into thesurrounding panels and upholstery when in both the extended position andthe retracted position.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retractableheadrest that in the retracted position has an appearance integratedinto the seat, parcel shelf, surrounding panels and/or upholstery so asnot to appear as a headrest.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retractableheadrest that is maintained in the retracted position until it is sensedthat a passenger has occupied the seat corresponding to that headrest,whereupon the headrest is automatically extended to protect thepassenger.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retractableheadrest that automatically retracts when it is sensed that a passengerhas exited from the seat corresponding to that headrest.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retractableheadrest that is simple in construction.

These and further objects of the present invention will become apparentfrom the description herein read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an automobile seat incorporatingan embodiment of the present invention headrest, showing the headrest inan extended position;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view as in FIG. 1, showing the headrestin a retracted position;

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevational view of the headrest of FIG. 1 andone embodiment of an operating mechanism in the retracted position;

FIG. 4 is the same view as in FIG. 3 showing the headrest in an extendedposition;

FIG. 5 is the same view as in FIG. 4 showing an alternative embodimentoperating mechanism in an extended position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, partially sectioned, showing analternative embodiment of the headrest of the present invention in aretracted position;

FIG. 7 is the same view as in FIG. 6 of the headrest in an extendedposition;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of a modification of the embodimentof FIG. 6 with a support cam in a retracted position;

FIG. 9 is the same view as in FIG. 8 with the support cam in an extendedposition;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view, partially sectioned, showing analternative embodiment of the headrest of the present invention in aretracted position;

FIG. 11 is the same view as in FIG. 10 of the headrest in an extendedposition;

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention headrest in an extended position;

FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of a headrest pad of the presentinvention;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view, partially sectioned and omitting theoperating mechanism for clarity of view, showing an alternativeembodiment of the headrest of the present invention in a retractedposition;

FIG. 15 is the same view as in FIG. 14 of the headrest in an extendedposition;

FIG. 16 is the same view as in FIG. 14 and including the operatingmechanism;

FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of an automobile parcel shelfincorporating an alternative embodiment of the present inventionheadrest, showing the headrest in an extended position;

FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view as in FIG. 1, showing the headrestin a retracted position;

FIG. 19 is a partial side sectional view of the headrest of FIG. 17;

FIG. 20 is a partial side sectional view of an alternative embodiment ofthe headrest of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a partial side sectional view of an alternative embodiment ofthe headrest of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a partial side sectional view of an alternative embodiment ofthe headrest of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention showing the retractable headrest in a retractedposition.

FIG. 24 is the view of FIG. 23 showing the headrest in an extendedposition; and

FIG. 25 is a side elevational view showing the operating mechanism ofthe embodiment shown in FIGS. 23 and 24.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1–4 show a first embodiment of the headrest 10 of the presentinvention mounted on a seat 12. FIGS. 1 and 4 show the headrest 10 in afully extended position 22 and FIGS. 2 and 3 show the headrest 10 in afully retracted position 14. A headrest shell 30 (see FIGS. 3–5) ispositioned beneath a stretchable fabric cover 32 mounted on the seat 12.When an operating mechanism 36 is actuated to extend the headrest 10,the shell 30 moves upward into contact with the stretchable fabric cover32, which conforms to the outer shape of the shell 30. FIG. 1 showsintermediate positions of the headrest 10 as it is extended from thefully retracted position 14 to the fully extended position 22 in phantomas positions 16, 18 and 20. The stretchable fabric cover 32 can beincorporated into the seat upholstery as a separate panel 34 attached tothe top of the seat 12. The fabric panel 34 may be attached to thesurrounding upholstery in conventional manners or can be attached to aseparate supporting frame 38 that can be attached to the seat 12.Although the headrest 10 is shown as being attached to seat 12, it iscontemplated that the headrest 10 can be incorporated in the parcelshelf, as other embodiments herein are shown, and vice-versa.

A first embodiment of operating mechanism 36 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4incorporates a scissors type mechanism. Two arms 40 and 42 (preferablyinterchangeable) are rotatably mounted on a fixed pivot 44. A drivescrew 46 driven by a motor 48 is mounted between extending portions 56and 58 of arms 40 and 42, respectively, with two threaded collars 50pivotally mounted on the respective arms 40 and 42 in known manner. Thedrive screw 46 has two separate portions 52 and 54 threaded withopposite handed threads, with the first portion 52 connected to portion56 of arm 40 and the second portion 54 connected to portion 58 of arm42. In this manner, depending on which way the drive screw is rotated,the portions 56 and 58 of the arms 40 and 42 will either be broughttoward one another or driven away from one another when the motor 48 isactuated.

Arm portions 56 and 60 of arms 40 and 42 are attached to slideconnectors 64 which are mounted in channels 62 of the shell 30 toprovide a sliding attachment between the shell 30 and the arm portions56 and 60. In this manner, as arm portions 56 and 58 are driven apart,arm portions 56 and 60 are driven toward one another, with the slideconnectors 64 sliding in the channels 62, and upward, thereby extendingthe shell 30 upward. Reversing the motor reverses the process andretracts the headrest 10. As the shell 30 moves upward, it engages thestretchable fabric cover 32 and stretches it upward with the elasticityof the stretchable fabric cover 32 allowing it to conform to the shapeof the shell 30.

In a preferred embodiment, the shell 30, which can be made of metal,plastic or other materials, will include an outer layer of foam toprovide a cushioning effect between the cover 32 and the shell 30.Alternatively, the foam can be attached to an underside of the fabriccover 32. The shell 30 is given a shape such that it engages the fabriccover 32 from a center portion first and then progressively outward tobest utilize the elasticity of the fabric cover 32. Since the shell 30will determine the shape of the extended headrest, it is also given anaesthetic shape that complements the seat and automobile interior. Anintermediate layer 66 having a low coefficient of friction can beattached to the shell 30 or the cover 32 between the respectivecomponents to prevent sticking between the two components as the shell30 is extended or retracted.

One or more sensors 24 are preferably positioned in the seat 12 to sensewhen the seat is occupied. In a preferred embodiment, control of theheadrest 10 is automatic such that when the ignition is on and thesensors 24 sense and signal that the seat is occupied, the operatingmechanism 36 is actuated to extend the headrest 10. If it is sensed thatthe seat is not occupied, the headrest 10 is maintained in the retractedposition to improve rear visibility of the driver.

An alternative embodiment of the drive mechanism 36 is shown in FIG. 5.Here, the shell 30 is mounted to a pair of shafts 68 which are slideablymounted in fixed bushings 70 in a generally upright orientation. Theshafts 68 and bushings 70 allow the shell 30 to move up and down butretrain other unwanted movement. Drive screw 46 (here, threadeduniformly throughout) engages a threaded collar 72 on the shell 30 todrive the shell upward or downward when the motor 48 connected to thedrive screw 46 is actuated. Alternatively, the shafts 68 and bushings 70can be replaced with a pair of fixed motors 48 and drive screws 46,preferably actuated in a synchronized manner. Other drive mechanisms canbe used in this embodiment, as well as with the other embodimentsherein.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6and 7. In this embodiment, an extending arm 80 is slideably mounted in afixed channel 82 mounted in or behind the seat 12. The engagementbetween the extending arm 80 and the channel 82 allows upward anddownward motion of the extending arm 80 but prohibits other unwantedmotion. The extending arm can be driven upward and downward by a drivescrew, as in FIG. 5, by a rack and pinion mechanism or by other knownmechanisms. The extending arm and channel can be straight, or as shown,have a complementary arcuate configuration so that the extending armmoves upward and downward along an arcuate path that also provides amore forward positioning of the headrest with respect to the seat whenthe extending arm 80 is extended.

A roller mechanism 84 is mounted at the top of the extending arm 80 andpreferably includes a roller 86 rotatably mounted thereon. A proximateportion 95 of an elongated extending cushion 88 is attached to the seat12 with an underside of the extending cushion 88 engaging and windingaround an outer surface of the roller 86. As the extending arm 80 isdriven upward, the extending cushion 88 unwinds from around the roller86 to form the headrest 10. The rotation of the roller 86 eases frictionand movement between the extending cushion 88 and the roller mechanism84. The rotatable roller can be omitted in embodiments where frictionbetween the extending cushion 88 and the roller mechanism 84 isotherwise low. The extending cushion can be maintained in contact withthe roller mechanism 84 by a spring mechanism 90 attached between afixed mount 92 and a distal portion 94 of the extending portion 88. Thespring mechanism 90 provides a retracting force to the extending cushion88.

The extending cushion 88 can be provided with a spring member 96 (seeFIG. 13), preferably internal and made of metal with a plate-likeconfiguration, which is curved to maintain the extending cushion 88 incontact with the roller mechanism 84. The spring member 96 providesadditional support to the front of the extending cushion 88 where thepassenger's head would contact and can allow the spring mechanism 90 tobe optionally omitted. The spring member 96 can also be wire form,whereupon a plurality of spring members 96 can be used in each extendingcushion 88. In a retracted position, the distal end 94 of the extendingcushion 88 preferably is positioned in a slot 98 between the rollermechanism 84 and a parcel shelf 100 for improved appearance. See FIG. 6.In alternative embodiments, the distal end 94 of the extending cushion88 can be configured to rest in a complementary shaped channel in theparcel shelf 100 when in the retracted state.

Where the specific dimensions and configuration allow, the distal end 94of the extending cushion 88 can be attached at a specific point to theroller 86 and the roller 86 can be spring loaded or motor driven. Inthis embodiment, the extending cushion 88 is firmly attached to theroller 86 for support and control and the spring loading/motor drivingassists in the winding and unwinding of the extending cushion 88 on theroller 86 in operation. Such an embodiment can optionally omit thespring mechanism 90 and/or the internal spring member 96.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7,where the roller mechanism 84 is provided with a front mounted cammechanism 102 that can be operated to alter the shape of the extendingcushion 88 in the extended position. By rotating the cam mechanismforward into contact with the extending cushion 88, the extendingcushion 88 can be pushed forward as desired for support or comfort. Thecam mechanism 102 is preferably motor driven in a known manner so thatthe passenger can adjust it conveniently. Alternatively, the cammechanism 102 can be automatically controlled to push the extendingcushion 88 forward a desired amount when the headrest 10 is extended andto retract when the headrest is retracted. While shown as having a fixedheight with respect to the roller mechanism 84, in an alternativeembodiment, the cam mechanism 102 can be mounted on an adjustable heightmechanism to give further adjustability to shaping the extending cushion88. See, for instance FIG. 12, described in more detail below.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show an alternative embodiment where the roller 86 isrotatably mounted in an offset manner so as to act as a cam whenrotated. Thus, in the retracted position of the headrest 10 the roller86 is in a down-rotated position. If the roller 86 is rotatedcounterclockwise, by a known drive mechanism, it pushes the extendingcushion 88 upward into the extended position. This embodiment can beused without an extending arm 80 and extending arm drive mechanism orcan be used in conjunction with those components. Especially in thelatter situation, the roller 86 can be rotated sufficientlycounterclockwise that it starts to push the extending cushion 88 forwardin the same manner as cam mechanism 102.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 14–16, the extending cushion88 is maintained in a spiral configuration by a spirally configuredspring member 96 when in the retracted position (FIGS. 14 and 16) withthe distal end 94 of the extending cushion 88 connected to a rollershaft 104. The roller shaft 104 is rotatably mounted on the rollermechanism 84 (omitted from FIGS. 14 and 15 for clarity). As theextending arm 80 is driven upward from the retracted position (FIG. 14),the spirally wound extending cushion 88 unwinds from itself to form theheadrest 10 in the extended position (FIG. 15).

FIG. 12 shows an alterative embodiment of the present inventionheadrest. Here, the extending arm 80 itself can engage and extend theextending cushion 88. The extending arm 80 includes a cam mechanism 102as described above. However, in this embodiment, the cam mechanism 102is adjustable as to height by use of a known operating mechanism toallow adjustability of the front surface of the headrest 10. Compare theshape of the headrest shown with the shape shown in phantom.

FIGS. 17–19 show an alternative embodiment of the present inventionheadrest 10 with FIG. 17 showing the headrest 10 in an extended positionand FIG. 18 showing the headrest 10 in a retracted position. In thisembodiment, the headrest is configured to retract into the parcel shelf100. As can be seen in FIG. 17, the parcel shelf includes a channel 106shaped to receive the headrest in a complementary and form fittingmanner so that in the retracted position, the headrest appears to be aportion of the parcel shelf and the functionality of the headrest 10 ishidden. See FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 shows details of the operation of the headrest 10 which has afolding configuration. The headrest 10 includes a front support frame108 and a rear support frame 110 pivotally connected together abouthinge 112. A bottom portion of front support frame 108 is pivotallyconnected to a fixed pivot 114 and a bottom portion of rear supportframe 110 is pivotally connected to a movable pivot 116. The movablepivot 116 is connected to a belt (or chain) drive mechanism 118. Thebelt drive mechanism 118 includes a driving motor 120, an idler pulley122 and a belt 124 connected therebetween. As the drive motor isactuated to extend the headrest, it moves forward (to the right in FIG.19) the upper portion of the belt 124 and the movable pivot 116 which isconnected thereto. This forces the center portions of frames 108 and 110to raise, pivoting about hinge 112, and causes frame 108 to pivotforward about pivot 114. Reversing the drive motor 120 will move theupper portion of the belt 124 rearward (to the left) thereby reversingthe process and lowering the headrest 10. The support frames 108 and 110are covered with upholstered pads 128 and 130 that complement theupholstery of the parcel shelf 100.

FIG. 20 shows a modification of the previous embodiment where the rearsupport frame and belt drive are replaced by a linear travel pneumatic,hydraulic or threaded drive actuator 132 connected between a fixed pivot134 and a pivot 136 attached to the front support frame 108. Theheadrest is extended by extending the actuator 132 and the headrest isretracted by retracting the actuator 132. A bottom portion of theactuator 132 is positioned below the channel 106 and passes through anopening 126 in the channel 106.

In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 21, the support frames 108 and 110and hinge 112 are replaced by a flexible spring member 138. The springmember is covered by a pad 140, shown as being segmented. In theretracted position, the spring member 138 is generally flat. As themotor 120 is actuated to move the upper belt portion forward and extendthe headrest, the pivot 116 is brought closer to the pivot 114, forcingthe spring member 138 to bow upward until a forward portion of thespring member 138 and pad 140 forms the forward facing portion of theheadrest 10.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 22 is similar but the pad 142 takes theform of a plurality of generally cylindrical cushion portions 144 andthe spring member 138 passes through the cylindrical portions 144. Thesecylindrical cushion portions 144 can be molded onto the spring member138 or installed over the spring member 138. The cylindrical cushionportions 144 can be separate or can be formed as a single unit. Thecylindrical cushion portions 144 minimize stresses on the pad andupholstery as the spring member 138 is flexed from the flat state to thebowed state. In these two embodiments, a forward portion of the springmember 138 can actually be forced to bow forward by enough forwardmovement of the pivot 116 to reduce the space between the headrest andthe passenger's head. The spring member 138 can be configured to be flatin the relaxed stated or bowed in the relaxed state, as desired.

An alternative embodiment is shown in FIGS. 23–25. This embodiment is ahybrid of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6–16 and FIGS. 17–22. Anextending cushion 88 is fastened to a seat supporting member 150 withone or more fasteners 152. A curved front support frame 108 pivots on afixed pivot 114. A rear support frame 110 is pivotally attached to thefront support frame 108 via hinge 112. The rear support frame 110 isbiased toward the front support frame 108 by torsion spring 154 so thata lower portion of the rear support frame 110 is maintained in contactwith a floor of the parcel shelf 100 to conceal the operating mechanismfrom view. A distal portion of the extending cushion 88 is attached tothe rear support frame 110 by one or more fasteners 156. A screw drivemechanism 158, for example, similar to the type of screw drive mechanismknown for use in automotive seats to alter a height of a lumbar support,is fastened to the vehicle such that a movable carriage 160 of the screwdrive mechanism can be driven in a forward and backward motion (to theright and left as shown in FIG. 25) as desired. A tie rod 162 ispivotally connected to the carriage 160 by movable pivot 116 and to thefront support frame 108 by front support frame pivot 136 to convertlinear motion of the carriage 160 to pivoting motion of the frontsupport frame 108.

With this operating mechanism, as the carriage 160 is driven forward bythe screw drive 158, it pivots the front support frame 108 forward andupward, thereby raising the extending cushion 88 into the extendedprotective position. See FIG. 24. Reversing the process and driving thecarriage 160 rearward pivots the front support frame 108 rearward anddownward, thereby lowering the extending cushion 88 into the retractedposition which improves rear visibility through the rear windshield 164.See FIG. 23. Since the distal portion 94 of the extending cushion 88 isattached to the rear support frame 110, which follows the front supportframe through operation of the torsion spring 154 or other springmember, the distal portion 94 will follow the rear support frame 110 andassist in providing an aesthetic appearance to the headrest 10 andconcealing the operating mechanism. This mechanism provides a smallminimum height which can readily be positioned in or retrofitted to thespace available in the parcel shelf and upper seat region of a vehicle.

Preferably, the operation of the headrest 10 is determined automaticallyby the sensors 24. As with this embodiment, other hybrid embodiments canbe created by combining various features of the various embodiments.

It is intended that various gussets, flaps and covers can be used withthe various embodiments to conceal structure and openings created whenthe headrest of the present invention is extended and/or retracted toimprove the appearance of the headrest. The pads extending cushions andpads can be constructed of a flexible foam covered in a desiredupholstery material, such as woven cloth, leather or synthetic leathertype material. Various inserts can be added to the flaps and extendingcushions such as inserts for increasing the rigidity of the componentsor fastener type inserts for easing attachment of the pads and extendingcushions to other components.

The present invention provides a retractable headrest that can beretracted when not in use so as not to impair the driver's vision andthat has an aesthetic appearance integrated into the surrounding panelsand upholstery when in both the extended position and the retractedposition. In the retracted position the headrest has an appearanceintegrated into the seat, parcel shelf, surrounding panels and/orupholstery so as not to appear as a headrest. The retractable headrestis maintained in the retracted position until it is sensed that apassenger has occupied the seat corresponding to that headrest,whereupon the headrest is automatically extended to protect thepassenger. The retractable headrest automatically retracts when it issensed that a passenger has exited from the seat corresponding to thatheadrest. The headrest is simple in construction and the operatingmechanism can be fitted into the seat or in the limited area between thetrunk and the parcel shelf. The entire headrest can be constructed as aunit package in kit form that can be readily retrofitted into existingvehicles to achieve the advantages enumerated herein.

While certain examples of the various embodiments are shown, it isintended that these examples and embodiments can be altered withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. Further, it is intended thatthe shapes, dimensions and geometric relationships of the variouscomponents in the embodiments shown can be altered as desired to conformto a particular application. While the various headrests are shown asbeing used in rear seat applications, the various embodiments can alsobe used with respect to front seats (particularly in two seat vehicles)and central seats in vehicles that have three or more rows of seats. Theinvention can be used in vehicles other than automobiles. It is alsointended that any of the various aspects of the various embodimentsdescribed herein can be combined in different manners as desired tocreate new embodiments.

1. A retractable vehicle headrest comprising: a support member, a coverprovided on at least a portion of the support member, an operatingmechanism for moving the support member between raised and loweredpositions, said support member having a first pivotally connected endlocated at a front end of the headrest and a second movable end locatedat a rear end of the headrest when in the lowered position, the secondmovable end being connected to the operating mechanism and being movablealong a path toward the front end to cause the movement of the supportmember about the first pivotally connected end when the second movableend is in motion.
 2. A retractable vehicle headrest as in claim 1wherein movement of the second movable end causes the headrest to beraised upwardly to form a forward facing portion of a headrest.
 3. Aretractable vehicle headrest as in claim 1 further including a parcelshelf having a channel formed therein and being shaped to receive theretractable headrest in a complementary and form fitting manner so thatin the lowered position the headrest appears to be a portion of theparcel shelf.
 4. A retractable vehicle headrest as in claim 1 whereinthe path of movement comprises a substantially linear path.
 5. Aretractable headrest assembly for a vehicle seat, comprising: at leastone support member adapted to be mounted to the seat, a cushion attachedto the at least one support member and having a proximal portion adaptedto be positioned adjacent a seated user and a distal portion positionedrearwardly away from the proximal portion, and an operating mechanismattached to said at least one support member for progressively movingsaid at least one support member between a retracted position and anextended position, wherein, a portion of the at least one support memberis positioned over and engages a portion of the operating mechanism suchthat actuation of the operating mechanism moves the at least one supportmember and the distal portion of the cushion towards the proximalportion thereby providing a passenger headrest in the extended position.6. A retractable headrest assembly as in claim 5 wherein said at leastone support member has a first pivotally connected end and a secondmovable end, the second movable end being connected to the operatingmechanism and being movable along a substantially linear path toward thefirst pivotally connected end to cause the movement of the at least onesupport member about the first pivotally connected end when the secondmovable end is in motion, to thereby cause at least a portion of thesupport member to form a forward facing portion of a headrest.
 7. Aretractable headrest assembly as in claim 5, further comprising a frontface for the headrest formed from a portion of the at least one supportmember, and wherein the at least one support member includes front andrear portions with the rear portion supporting the distal portion of thecushion.
 8. A retractable headrest assembly as in claim 5, furtherincluding a parcel shelf positioned rearwardly of the headrest and intowhich the retracted headrest nests when in the retracted position.
 9. Aretractable headrest assembly as in claim 5, wherein the operatingmechanism comprises a motor operated belt drive assembly.
 10. Aretractable headrest assembly as in claim 5, wherein the proximal anddistal portions are constructed and arranged to nest in a complementaryshaped, upwardly opening channel when in the retracted position.
 11. Aretractable headrest for a vehicle seat, comprising: a seat; a headrestframe assembly including a forward portion pivotally mounted about apivot and a rear portion attached to the forward portion, a cushionedportion overlying the headrest frame assembly, an operating mechanismattached to the headrest frame assembly for progressively moving theheadrest frame assembly by moving the rear portion toward the forwardportion, thereby moving the forward portion about said pivot between aretracted position and an extended position; and a channel positioned ona shelf located behind the seat, the channel being shaped to becomplementary to the headrest frame assembly to receive the headrestframe assembly in a complementary manner when the headrest frameassembly is in the retracted position.
 12. A retractable headrest for avehicle as in claim 11, wherein the operating mechanism includes a beltdrive mechanism, the belt drive mechanism comprising: a driving motor;an idler pulley spaced apart from the driving motor; and a belt engagingbetween the driving motor and the idler pulley and running in agenerally fore and aft direction; wherein, the rear portion is pivotallymounted to the belt such that the headrest frame assembly is raised intothe extended position when that belt is driven in a forward directionand the headrest frame assembly is lowered into the retracted positionwhen the belt is driven in a rearward direction.
 13. A retractableheadrest for a vehicle as in claim 12, wherein the headrest frameassembly comprises: a front support frame; a rear support frame; and ahinge; the front support frame pivotally connected to the rear supportframe though the hinge, the front support frame being pivotally mountedabout the pivot, the rear support frame pivotally mounted to the belt,such that the headrest frame assembly is generally flat in the retractedposition but is folded about the hinge when in the extended position.14. A retractable headrest for a vehicle as in claim 12, wherein theheadrest frame assembly comprises: a spring member pivotally connectedat a forward portion about the pivot and pivotally connected at arearward portion to the belt, such that the headrest frame assembly isgenerally flat in the retracted position but is bowed upward in theextended position.
 15. A retractable headrest for a vehicle as in claim14, wherein the cushioned portion includes at least one cushioned padattached to the spring member.
 16. A retractable headrest for a vehicleas in claim 14, wherein the cushioned portion includes a plurality ofgenerally cylindrical cushion portions transversely attached to thespring member in a series from front to back.
 17. A retractable headrestfor a vehicle as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of generallycylindrical cushion portions are molded as one unit with the springmember.
 18. A retractable headrest for a vehicle as in claim 16, whereinthe plurality of generally cylindrical cushion portions are molded asone unit.